Two Worlds 2: Technical advantages for the PC version

12.01.2010 um 15:27 Uhr Currently scheduled for spring 2010 Two Worlds 2 is supposed to become graphically impressive role-playing game. PC Games Hardware got technical information from the developers.

From the screenshots and pictures of Two Worlds 2 that have been released up to now, one can see that the Reality Pump Studios are making an effort to create an visually impressive successor to the first Two Worlds game of 2007. PC Games Hardware had the chance to get some technical information about the forthcoming RPG from Lead Engine Programmer Mariusz Szaflik. He told us for example that GRACE (Graphics Rendition And Creation Engine), which Tow Worlds 2 is based on has been re-developed from scratch in order to utilize the possibilities offered by the current generation of hardware. One of the things the programmer mentioned is the support for multi-core processors.

Mariusz Szaflik also told us that Two Worlds 2 is a cross-platform development, but that the game is not ported across the individual systems but that there is a simultaneous development process for PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Each of the platforms has its own strengths and Reality Pump Studios is trying to make the maximal use of them. As expected the PC version of Two Worlds 2 has some advantages in comparison to the console versions since it is possible to use textures with higher resolutions and more detailed shadows as well as a more stable SSAO system (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion). Furthermore the Lead Engine Programmer thinks that the PC version also benefits from the cross-platform situation because the developers have to keep an eye on efficiency because of the limited hardware resources of the consoles.

Although it is still intended for Shader Model 3.0 graphics cards - because the developers expect most users have such cards - the new GRACE supports several new rendering techniques. It is fully compatible to FP16 and utilizes Full Deferred Rendering which is used to create a more or less infinite number of light sources, volumetric lights or the so called atmosphere Scattering.

Below we have several comparison shots that demonstrate several effects GRACE is capable of as well as the difference in lighting during a day-night-cycle.